


Won't Ask For Space

by SeventhStrife



Series: AAC: 2017 [5]
Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, Flirting, M/M, No Beta, Power Outage, Snowed In
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 13:15:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12984825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeventhStrife/pseuds/SeventhStrife
Summary: (Kind Of) Alone for the Holidays AUBecause they wanted to save money, Character A decided to stay on campus during the holiday break and work odd jobs to pay for their dorm. It seemed like a great idea at the time…until the power went out in the building and what few students remained became snowed in.For being snowed in, cold, and alone for the holidays, Cloud's night...it's not going too bad.





	Won't Ask For Space

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this at 3AM, fell asleep, and finished it at around 8:30 this morning; I made a _resolution_ dammit! I apologize in advance if the lack of beta (or sleep) shows.

Cloud wakes up _cold._ Not a 'kicked off the covers with the fan on' type of cold, but back home in Nibelheim during a _blizzard,_ cold.

Hands down, it's the most upsetting, harrowing experience of Cloud's life. _What the hell?_

Reluctantly, he manages to peel back his blanket, shivering all the while. Twitching aside his window curtain reveals a vast ocean of white, blanketing everything enough that any single form is lost, melded into one giant white landscape.

Cloud pauses then, and listens. He strains his ears, but can't hear any of the usual background noises he typically takes for granted. Like the sound of his ceiling fan, the hum of his dorm's industrial-size floodlight just a few feet from his window, or—unsettlingly, the steady drone of his central heating.

Dread sinks like a stone in the pit of his stomach. _Shit._

Cloud layers on tights, sweatpants, three shirts and a sweater, and feels like he's finally taken a single step away from hypothermia. He investigates first his thermostat, then the circuit breaker, but is forced to confirm his suspicions: the power is out.

He sticks his head out his door then, arms held tight against his body to brace himself against the chill, to see the hallways lights, automatic and always on twenty-four seven, are dark. The whole building is out of power, and it's just a little past one in the morning.

Cloud's had more than enough experience with snow and it's hazards, and, even in a city as big as Midgar, he knows that a university dorm is going to be pretty low on anyone's priority list when it comes to restoring power. At the very least, no one's coming tonight.

Cloud sighs, and then starts digging through his closet. He'd felt a little silly bringing something so cumbersome and heavy to his dorm—hence why it was currently buried beneath an assortment of junk. But he'd been loathe to rid himself of anything from his childhood home, and this held it's fair share of memories, of early mornings and late nights that started off much the same way.

With a grunt, Cloud pries a decently-sized heater from his closet's clutches, sighing in relief when he sets it down in the middle of the living room. It's on the heavy side, clunky and old, but when Cloud checks the small propane bottle to ensure it's full and starts it up, it still works just fine.

Slowly, Cloud begins to thaw, forcing himself to maintain a bit of distance so that he doesn't crowd it and make it overheat. His fingers tingle a bit where he has them outstretched, chasing curls of warmth, and he remembers standing just the same way, his hands much smaller and framed by his mother's. When a storm knocked out a power line in Nibelheim, she'd sit behind him, legs curled up around him. They'd stare at this old thing and share body heat, and she'd take his mind off the cold by telling stories until their small house warmed up enough for her to cook.

_'I suppose you've heard the legend of the twelve knights?'_

_Cloud, a child, had giggled. 'Yeah, mom, you've only told me a hundred times.'_

_'Oh, dear, is that right? Then I suppose you know all about their leader, King Arthur, and his magic sword, Excalibur.'_

_Cloud had frowned, twisting his head behind him so his mother got the full effect of his skeptical look. 'How can a sword be magic?'_

_'Well, let me tell you...'_

Cloud folds his hands around his knees, vision going a little fuzzy. He misses her so much.

A sudden loud, authoritative knock makes Cloud start, ripped from old memories and heart hammering.  
  
His head snaps to the front door and he watches it with narrowed eyes, confused. Any and everyone Cloud socialized with—a very short list of people—were all out of town for the holidays. Who could possibly be knocking on his door so late at night?

Cloud pulls himself away with less reluctance than he might have earlier; his dorm is more of a glorified hallway and isn't taking long to heat. He unlocks his door and peeks out to see a lone figure in the hall, hand poised to knock on the door of his next-door neighbor's. The oddest feeling pricks him then. He feels as if he should know this person.

"They're no one there," Cloud calls helpfully, brow furrowed. Reno had left earlier that week for Costa del Sol to soak up some sun, and the only reason Cloud knew was because he wouldn't stop _bragging_ about it. It's been much quieter with him gone.

The other, a rather tall man, looks at Cloud with surprise. "Oh, I hadn't expected anyone to still be here."

With a parting glance at the door he'd been about to knock on, he approached Cloud and introduced himself.

"I'm Sephiroth, the building's RA." Ah. The faint tug of memory made sense, now. Cloud could only just barely remember the man when he'd introduced himself to the new people moving in. The only reason he could recall him at _all_ was mostly the height. And the hair. "I was just making a sweep, collecting everyone who was still here over the break. We're all meeting in the common area to try and conserve heat. It will be some time before the snow plows get out on the road and clear enough that the power can be restored."

"Oh." Cloud shrugs. "I'm good, actually." He steps aside slightly, enough to where his heater is visible.

Sephiroth looks impressed. "Well, it would seem at least someone was prepared. Would you mind...?"

"Mind?" Cloud repeats, confused. Then it clicks. "Oh! No, come in." Sephiroth settles in front of the heater with relief, palms outstretched just as Cloud's had been.

"Thank you. I'll only be a moment. I still have to make sure everyone gets the message."

Going door to door in a building this frigid, when almost every knock would go unanswered, sounds awful. "Don't you have everyone's number as an RA? Can't you just text them?"

Sephiroth grimaces. "Everyone turned in a liability waiver with their information on it at the start of the semester, but all records of private information are kept in the main office, which is locked during the holidays."

That sucks. "You could break in," Cloud points out helpfully, sitting near, but not too close to Sephiroth.

Green eyes flash to him, amused. "I'll take that under advisement."

They're quiet then, and Cloud's a little surprised to note that it isn't as awkward as he would have imagined. A little, perhaps, since Sephiroth's a stranger in most senses of the word, but still. He doesn't feel the need to fill the silence with stilted attempts at conversation. Sephiroth doesn't stare, doesn't seem to expect much from him. It's a relief.

A few minutes pass this way, Sephiroth asking his name and major, before he reluctantly stands, gazing at the heater forlornly.

"I should get going."

Cloud rises as well and walks Sephiroth the short distance to his front door. Once out in the hall, Sephiroth turns to face him.

"Again, thank you, Cloud." Cloud shrugs. Sephiroth shoots him an apologetic sort of look, not yet stepping away. "I hate to ask, but...I'm sure the few other's here would enjoy some warmth as well. If you came to the common room with your heater, it would be an immense help."

Cloud blinks, but, despite his anti-social nature wanting to reject the suggestion on principle, good-old-fashioned guilt pauses his tongue. He can't sit here in a warm room knowing others are huddling together for warmth, piling in a room with other strangers in the hope of some relief.

"...Yeah. Okay." Sephiroth's eyes brighten.

"Thank you, Cloud. I'm sure everyone will appreciate your kindness."

He waves away the gratitude and Sephiroth's expression lightens. "I'll see you later, then?"

Cloud shrugs but smiles slightly in response. "Sure."

Sephiroth watches him a moment, then turns and walks away, beginning his pilgrimage through the halls anew. He only has one building to cover, true, but at Midgar University, nothing is small. Cloud doesn't envy him.

He'd given Sephiroth his word, so he turns off his heater and slings his comforter around him. It hangs like a regal cape as he makes his way across the hallway and down a flight of stairs, lightly skimming the floors, too large to clear the ground completely.

The common room is easy to spot, already lit from within by several candles and the light of a scant few cell phones. Cloud spots only four other people when he enters, all of them only vaguely familiar. The only one he can name, Elena, looks fit to burst into tears when she sees Cloud's load, nose and ears tipped red from cold.

She hovers just over Cloud's shoulder as he kneels to set down the heater carefully more or less in the center of the room. "I love you," she says with great feeling, looking Cloud straight in the eyes.

Alarmed, Cloud turns it on and retreats a safe distance, content to let everyone swarm the heater if it means he won't have to endure social interaction.

A bit cold again, Cloud curls up on one of the couched sprinkled throughout the space, tucked into the corner. He pulls out his phone, the only lifeline he has against honest-to-god conversation. He doesn't even _mind_ being social, most of the time. Only, these aren't the people he's typically social _with._ There's a good chance he'll never speak to them again after tonight, and he's already exceeded his quota of people he's obligated to say hi to when he passes them on campus. He'd rather not add more to the list.

He passes the time sending a pre-emptive apology text to his boss at the garage, knowing he won't be making it in. _So much for making a little extra money._ After that, he checks his messages, replying to the ones from Zack, and downloads some music for want of anything else.

Thirty minutes, an hour passes, and the room gradually becomes a tolerable temperature. People start to drift away from the heat, to sit at tables and couches, and someone pulls out a worn deck of cards. Cloud's invited to join, and he politely declines.

Soon after, Sephiroth arrives, visibly shivering. He raises a genial hand in the face of everyone's greetings, and beelines for the heater. All the while, Cloud watches him surreptitiously, cocooned in his comforter, pretending he doesn't want him to come over.

He feels a little silly, like he did as a child, hoping someone would look over and choose him to play with, but he can't help it. Sephiroth seems...nice.

Cloud watches his phone, absently swiping here and there, and tries not to react when Sephiroth straightens, looks around the room, and heads for Cloud, alone on his island of a couch.

A small, irrational stab of panic seizes him. _What am I supposed to say?_ _This_ is why Cloud avoids making new friends; he's terrible at it.

Luckily, Sephiroth saves him the trouble. He towers over Cloud with an amused quirk to his lips.

"You look comfortable."

Cloud blinks up at him from where he's completely ensconced in his blanket, covered head to toe. Only his face and hand, holding his cell phone, peeks out.

"I am."

Sephiroth chuckles, a silent thing, as he takes the seat next to Cloud. "I'm a bit envious, to be honest. I was so busy checking rooms I forgot to stop by mine and grab a blanket."

The urge to offer his is on the tip of his tongue but he resists, calling himself an idiot. That would be weird.

Instead, he says, "Just steal someone else's. Use your power as RA."

Sephiroth laugh is a bit more audible this time. "It doesn't exactly work that way."

"Then what's the point?"

"Hm. The pay is decent. And it's a relatively easy credit."

"But if you can't abuse your power, is it really worth it?"

Sephiroth shakes his head, smiling over at him. "I think I'm just grateful _you're_ not in charge."

"Hmph." Cloud glances away, hiding his own smile. "Just seems like it's wasted on you, that's all."

"Maybe next week I'll demand some freshman's lunch money, would that satisfy you?"

"It might."

They both quiet then, content in their mirth, and Sephiroth leans back, resting his head against the back of the couch. He casts a look at the group playing cards, laughing and talking, occasionally cheering.

"How are all of you still awake? It's late, it's warm, you've all brought blankets..."

Cloud shrugs. "It's different, being up this late, snowed in, huddling for warmth. Some people like that kind of excitement."

Sephiroth looks at him. "And you, Cloud? Do you like this kind of excitement?"

"I..." Cloud considers. "It's not bad," he settles on. "Reminds me of being back home."

"Where's home for you?"

"Nibelheim." Sephiroth's brows jump up, and Cloud shoots him a warning glance. "I _know,_ but if you make some backwater joke—"

Sephiroth holds up his hands in defense. "I wasn't. But I must admit, I am surprised. That's quite a distance from here. You must be the only person from that side of the continent to go here."

"I am."

"That's impressive."

Cloud frowns, uncomfortable with praise. "It's no big deal, honestly. I just don't want to be a farmer."

"What do you want?"

Cloud, exasperated, gives Sephiroth a flat look. "What's with all the questions?"

Sephiroth's eyes widen for a second, and then he adopts a look of mild contrition. "Apologies. I...I find myself wanting to get to know you," he confesses. Cloud's heart stops beating. Sephiroth's eyes are nervous, wary when he looks back at Cloud. "Was—was that the wrong thing to say? I usually struggle to make decent conversation if it's not about my work or my studies. I'm actually surprised I made it this far," he adds self-deprecatingly.

"...it's fine," Cloud says, looking down at his phone. He can feel himself blushing. "I don't mind."

"Ah." Sephiroth looks surprised, then pleased when Cloud hazards a look at him. "Good."

The look they exchange is tentative and understanding, with no little relief. They're the kind of looks only people who struggle to be understood can understand.

Sephiroth shivers, a nearly imperceptible thing, and the moment's over. Concern fills Cloud but this time, Sephiroth's confession gives him courage. He peels himself from the comforter until it's draped over his shoulders, and holds out a portion of it to Sephiroth.

"Here."

Sephiroth blinks, surprised, but thankfully doesn't stare for long. "Thank you," he says, and he drapes the blanket around and over his shoulders. The space between them shrinks to just an inch, and Cloud spots how his shoulders lose a bit of their tension.

It's a little embarrassing, all but cuddling with a stranger that Cloud, unfortunately, can no longer pretend isn't extremely handsome. No one's staring or teasing, thank goodness, but still...his phone is suddenly fascinating.

Worse still, he can feel Sephiroth _watching_ him. He just knows if he tilts his head to the side slightly, he'll see those green eyes on him, amused at how he's suddenly clammed up.

Sure enough, Sephiroth asks, "Cloud?" He sounds like he's smiling.

Cloud doesn't look away from his phone. "...yeah?"

Sephiroth's hand, lightly resting on his knee, makes him go rigid in shock.

"Would it be too forward to ask you out to dinner?"

Cloud mouth pops open and he twists to stare at Sephiroth, gaping. Sephiroth simply meets his look in kind, that same small, arresting smile on his lips.

He doesn't look away, doesn't take it back the longer Cloud stares, and his face grows hotter and hotter.

Finally, he manages, "Isn't—isn't that a little fast?" He wants to take it back instantly; he doesn't _mean_ to sound ungrateful, but people don't usually ask Cloud out after knowing him for less than an hour.

Sephiroth's smile widens. "Perhaps," he admits, glancing away with a one-shoulder shrug. His green eyes come back to Cloud. "Do you really mind?"

The small amount of indignation Cloud had managed to dredge up disappears. He gives Sephiroth a helpless little smile of his own.

"No."

**Author's Note:**

> Story title is from [Close.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgJFqVvb2Ws)


End file.
